SpaceX
SpaceX CEO hypes Starship Flight 4 launch in early June
SpaceX CEO, Elon Musk is anticipating the Starship Flight 4 launch in early June. This new statement from the SpaceX founder matches previously expected flight dates.
“Flight 4 in about 10 days,” Musk wrote on social media site X on Thursday. He quoted a highlight video for the third flight test which provided important data for the next liftoff.
During 3rd flight, Starship achieved seamless liftoff, stage separation, orbit travel, payload door test, propellant transfer, and descent. However, there are some milestones left to achieve with flight 4. That includes improved stage separation and landing of both stages and single raptor relight in orbit.
Before that, SpaceX needs to clear the atmospheric reentry and endure maximum velocity, especially the spacecraft. The company could pass through the heat with new improvements to plasma shields.
If all goes well then the company will attempt to land these two stages on splash zones in the sea. That wasn’t the case in flight 3 as both stages lost contact and blasted off in the air.
Starship’s third flight test was a step towards a rapidly reusable future pic.twitter.com/TGAuLNLk2y
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) April 5, 2024
June 1?
This week, a Cameron County Judge passed an order for a temporary closure of access to Boca Chica Beach for SpaceX testing. Although the document mentioned no specific vehicle but Starship is the only vehicle that is in the test pipeline.
The order mentioned expected launch dates for June 1, June 2, and June 3. however, the date could be adjusted based on SpaceX’s schedule of receiving an FAA license.
